By Mike Warner
For The New Era
Going into the last two games of their season, Lebanon’s baseball and softball teams were positioned at sixth and seventh, respectively, in the Mid–Willamette Conference standings after both finishing last week 2-1.
Lebanon entered this week in seventh place (8-8, 10-15) in baseball and sixth in softball (4-8, 7-15) in the Mid-Willamette Conference, which leaves the Warriors hoping for a sweep of their last two games this week in softball and that Central and South Albany, tied for the final MWC automatic playoff berth at 6-6, have a bad week. Lebanon hosts the Redhawks Thursday in their final regular-season game.
Baseball
The Warriors played three games last week winning two and losing one.
They traveled to West Albany on Monday, winning 5-3, then faced Silverton in a home-and-home on Wednesday and Friday; winning 2-1 on Wednesday before losing 12-8 on Friday.
In Monday’s game, the Warriors bounced back from a 3-2 loss to the Bulldogs the previous Friday, combining timely hitting and quality pitching.
Lebanon had eight hits to the Bulldogs’ five.
Jaidyn Von Ruden led the hit parade, going 4-4 with two RBIs. Trey Enright was 2-4 with a double and an RBI, while Preston Bryan held the Bulldogs to just five hits and three earned runs on the mound. He struck out five. Jaidyn Von Ruden came in to record the last out.
Silverton came to town on Wednesday for what turned out to be a hard-fought defensive battle. The Warriors only recorded three hits to Silverton’s four but they were enough to score single runs in the second and third innings.
Silverton was only able to plate a single run in the third. That was it. No more scoring the remainder of the game. Trenton Lewis was sterling once again on the mound, allowing only four hits and striking out 11.
Friday, the Warriors played their rematch with Silverton. This was a considerably different game. Both teams packed the wood.
The Warriors had 12 hits, leading to seven RBI. Nine Warriors recorded at least one hit.
Cohen Vandiver banged a triple and Austin Turnidge and Preston Bryan each recorded doubles. The Foxes only had eight hits but were able to score 12 runs. Eight walks and two Lebanon errors worked in Silverton’s favor. Lebanon pitched by committee as five different Warriors took the mound.
The regular season is coming to a close with two games remaining. They finish the year with a home and home with Crescent Valley on Monday and Thursday.
Softball
Against West Albany Monday, MAy 11, Lebanon faced second-place West Albany Bulldogs and lost 14-2.
The Warriors resurrected their game against Crescent Valley on Wednesday, winning 19-9. They finished off the week on Friday with a commanding win over third-place Silverton, 14-9.
Against West Albany, the final score doesn’t really tell the whole story. The game was close until the sixth inning with the Bulldogs leading only 2-0. West exploded with 12 runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Lebanon was able to muster two runs in the bottom of the inning but their fate was sealed. The Warriors held West to only seven hits but managed only two themselves. Nine Albany walks and five Lebanon errors accounted for the loss.
The Warriors were a new team against Crescent Valley.
They recorded 19 hits and scored in every inning but one to record the rout.
Eight Warriors recorded at least one hit. Seven Warriors recorded at least one RBI.
Scarlett French went 4 for 5 with a home run and five RBIs. Hailey Myers and Annastazia Marshall each went 3-6, Marshall finishing with a triple and a double. Taelyn Whitney had a double and two RBIs.
Lebanon’s pitching and defense was not sterling, but the offense carried the day.
On Friday, the Warriors hosted the Foxes. The game was back and forth, with the teams exchanging leads for the first four innings.
Lebanon took control in the fifth, scoring three runs and four more in the sixth. Silverton was only able to tally one run in the final two innings giving Lebanon the win.
Once again, Lebanon’s offense took command, scoring in every inning but one.
French and Majestah Nida both finished 3-4. Nida recorded six RBIs and French recorded five. Both recorded home runs and Nida added a double.
Bristol Hockema went the entire way in the circle.
This week, the Warriors have two games remaining to end league play. They travel to league-leading Dallas on Monday and host South Albany on Thursday.